Virgin Birth

Condition of faith (vss 1-9)

Rebellious king Ahaz of Judah is being threatened by Syria and the northern tribes of Israel in war. 

Isaiah tells Ahaz, Fear not, neither be fainthearted… Because

Isaiah further says what these men plan to do to you, Ahaz, and Jerualem will not happen (verse 7).

Isaiah further encourages Ahaz that Ephraim will only stumble around for another 65 years before being broken apart (verse 8).

Then Isaiah gives the invitation that every sinner gets, believe God and be established or don’t believe God and watch whatever you’re building get destroyed.

Sign against unbelief (vss 10-16)

Then Isaiah presents Ahaz with a blank check. Ahaz rejects the offer. And like everything else Ahaz has done in his life, this is just another time where he’s disobeyed and ignored God.

Isaiah’s prophecy is a rejection of David’s royal lineage. The sign is for the house of David according to Isaiah 7:14.

Now, if you’re trying to make up a story about Jesus so you can get him on the throne, you don’t throw away his royal lineage. You would do everything you can to preserve it and prove it. You make sure there is no question he’s royalty from the king.

Gentile occupation of the promised land (vs 17-8:22)

* Virgin born Immanuel will seize the government in a violent fiery takeover (vss 9:1-7)

* Now, when you get to Matthew 1:23-24 and Mary as a virgin conceives, the fuse is lit so to speak. The end is near. God has shown his frustration with unbelief and is ready to renovate the earth in righteousness. But there is a catch. Before Christ violently overthrows the government, he has something else to do. Look at Matthew 1:18-21. His name is not Immanuel, not yet anyway. His name shall be called JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Saul’s stumbling

Text: 1 Samuel 13

Saul reigns in Israel, but in this chapter God will cut off Saul’s family from ruling in Israel.

Failure to fight (vss 1-4)

Jonathan defeats the Philistines in Geba. But Saul claims Jonathan’s victory. The Philistines hear about Saul’s claim, but know he wasn’t in the battle. Strategically, this reveals something about Saul’s leadership to the Philistines; Saul is afraid, but wants his people to believe he is a valiant warrior.

Fight

Failure to encourage the people (vss 5-7)

While Saul is taking credit for a victory he didn’t win, the enemies of God are strengthening themselves against Israel. The first failure of Saul in this chapter leads to the second failure.

Doing right encourages the right people.

Instead of living in your own world. Instead of waiting to see how things are going to go. Consider how your relationship to the Lord or lack thereof affects your family, your church family, fellow Christians.

What if I’m the only one? You’ll feel like that and you might be. You want more people to serve God with you? Serve God. Give family and fellow Christians something to follow.

Failure to wait on God (vss 8-10)

Saul waits for Samuel to perform the sacrifices, but Samuel is held up. Jonathan  already defeated one Philistine army earlier, so why is Saul waiting for Samuel before he goes to battle?

I don’t know if Saul thought he had to wait for Samuel to fight, as Saul always seemed sort of co-dependent on Samuel throughout his life, Saul gets paranoid and makes a bad decision. 

Failed to keep his heart (vss 11-16)

Saul has already taken credit for a victory his son won. Saul is unwilling to fight. This unwillingness will cost him his family. As much as the LORD is frustrated with Saul and going to find another king, Saul’s decisions will ultimately leave him without an heir on the throne.

Failure to defend the border (vss 17-18)

Saul wouldn’t maintain the walls to protect the country.

Personally, controlling your tongue, your attitude, your thoughts is how you defend your soul.

Failure to equip God’s people (vss 19-23)

Poor leadership leads to going to the enemy for weapons to fight the enemy

The unequipped soul failing to put on the armor of God. No hope, no righteousness, no good news message, no truth.

Perfectly Whole

Text: Matthew 14:34-36

Made whole by Jesus Christ

The last two words in this chapter describe what Jesus Christ is to a sinner. If people are made perfectly whole, that implies something is missing. Sinners in sin are missing parts of life.

Look at Colossians 2:8-10 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

If you say something was made whole it implies that a sinner’s condition is the result of sinners missing something. Sin is loss. You and I need to know that because sin never presents itself as loss even though God says it is. In fact sin often presents godliness as loss.

Gain the world, lose his own soul. Sin is the loss of life – wages of sin is death. But Jesus Christ makes whole.

The lost soul lacks righteousness. Jesus Christ is righteousness.

Complete wisdom in Colossians 1:9-10 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Complete might in Colossians 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,

Creator and sustainer in Colossians 1:16-18 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Complete in Christ in Colossians 1:19-20, 28 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. … 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Every sinner can be made whole in Christ (vs 34)

To the Jew first then to the Greek.

Gennesaret – Galilee of the nations (Isaiah 9:1) describes the area Jesus Christ is in where people are flocking to him. It is an area largely populated by Gentiles.

Up to this point in Matthew’s gospel, he has highlighted a contradiction about who was receiving Jesus Christ and who wasn’t. The Israelites who were prepared by God for centuries to receive the Messiah, God manifest in the flesh, had largely ignored Him. While Gentiles who had no such history seemed to be trusting Jesus Christ if they so much as bumped into the righteousness of God in their daily lives.

In Matthew 2, Gentile men come from the east to pay homage to the King of the Jews while Israel was largely unmoved by Christ’s birth.

In Matthew 3, John the Baptist tells religious Jews who claim to have Abraham as their father that their first birth means nothing in regards to righteousness. And that God could create children from stones if He wanted to.

In Matthew 4, Matthew points out that the Light of the world, Jesus Christ, sprung up from a Gentile land on the north end of Israel. He quotes Isaiah in Matthew 4:14-16.

In Matthew 5 Jesus says to his disciples they are the light of the world and then describes what that light looks like.

In Matthew 8 a centurion says speak the word and my servant will be healed to which Jesus replies, I have not found so great faith, no,

Fellowship in the Gospel

Text: Colossians 4:7-18

Ministers in the work of God (vss 7-8)

These men were given to studying the scriptures and were given the ability by God to instruct and apply the doctrines of God.

Tychicus is a missionary who is sent to Colossae and Ephesus among the churches Paul writes to.

Fellow workers (vss 9-11)

Support the ministry of Jesus Christ however they can. They are engaged in the ministry enough to be able to report about what is happening in the ministry.

Onesimus

Aristarchus

Marcus is Mark who wrote the gospel of Mark.

Justus

Prayers for others in the work of God (vss 12-13)

Epaphras

Talents applied to the work of God (vs 14)

Luke the physician

Hospitality for the sake of the work of God (vss 15-16)

Used their homes and resources to support the ministry of the Jesus Christ

Nymphas

Archippus also Philemon 1:2 called a fellowsoldier.

Mental and emotional peace

Philippians 4:6-7

Leviticus 22:29-30 – sacrifice of thanksgiving

Psalm 105:1-3 …let the heart of then rejoice that seek the LORD.

Enjoyment of life by seeing what you have instead of coveting what you don’t

Gratitude focuses on what is, not what isn’t in John 6:5-11

Two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami, have done much of the research on gratitude. In one study, they asked all participants to write a few sentences each week, focusing on particular topics. One group wrote about things they were grateful for that had occurred during the week. A second group wrote about daily irritations or things that had displeased them, and the third wrote about events that had affected them (with no emphasis on them being positive or negative). After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation.

Moral reinforcement

Gratitude is an indication of morality. Published by the American Psychological Association in Gratitude has 3 functions that can be conceptualized as morally relevant: (a) a moral barometer function (i.e., it is a response to the perception that one has been the beneficiary of another person’s moral actions); (b) a moral motive function (i.e., it motivates the grateful person to behave prosocially toward the benefactor and other people); and (c) a moral reinforcer function (i.e., when expressed, it encourages benefactors to behave morally in the future). The personality and social factors that are associated with gratitude are also consistent with a conceptualization of gratitude as an affect that is relevant to people’s cognitions and behaviors in the moral domain. By McCullough, Michael E.,Kilpatrick, Shelley D.,Emmons, Robert A.,Larson, David B. Psychological Bulletin, Vol 127(2), Mar 2001, 249-266

Romans 1:20-25 – Moral degradation coupled with high self esteem

Psalm 100:4 (Psalm 100) – so the presence of God abandons the ingrate, but welcomes the grateful.

Maintains the right Spirit

Sanctifies and defends against seductive spirits

1 Timothy 4:1-5

Thankfulness is the open hand that God can fill

Ephesians 5:18-21

Text: Psalm 32

Blessings of forgiveness (vss 1-2)

This Psalm is written after David’s adultery with Bathsheba, and after he has Uriah murdered to cover up his sin. The guilt David carries weighs heavy on him for weeks and months. And it should.

If you say that Old Testament saints gained eternal life by keeping the law, you need to understand what you just read because you don’t understand the law or the righteousness of God. Under the law David is condemned. The man who commits adultery is to be put to death under the law. The man who commits murder is to be put to death under the law. David has done both. David, according to the law, according to his works, David is twice condemned to death.

Blessings of forgiveness are found in verses 1-2.

David concealed his guilt and didn’t want to deal with it for a while. But Bathsheba is pregnant and starting to show. Her husband is dead. This sin is getting harder and harder to hide. And about the time of the birth of the child, God sends a preacher to David to give him an opportunity to seek forgiveness. David realized how ignorant it is not to want the blessings of forgiveness.

Weight of guilt (vss 3-4)

The internal struggle and weight is real. And that guilt is often unleashed on innocent bystanders. You unleash the struggle inside you on someone else in blaming and accusing and berating them because it makes you feel a little better about your own guilt.

Guilt is the emotional desert. No more streams of living water, just dried up scorching heat under the holy hand of Almighty God.

David was very familiar with his guilt and why he carried it, as are you.

Forgiveness is applied (vs 5)

Forgiveness is not blindly applied everywhere, but it certainly is when a man or woman stops trying to hide their guilt before God.

Acknowledgement of sin is required by God for forgiveness

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. This is the acknowledgement of sin.

What if you’re already saved? If you’re married or have a friendship and you do them wrong or they do you wrong. Your acknowledgment of wrong is to simply restore a relationship that already exists. When I say sorry to my wife it’s not so that we can get married again, it’s just to restore fellowship that is lost in sin.

Godliness is seeking forgiveness when you’ve sinned (vs 6)

Universal application of God’s forgiveness in this manner.

In a time when thou mayest be found… The time that God could be found in David’s life was when God sent the preacher, Nathan, to preach to David to bring him either to repentance or to harden David’s heart.

Paul makes a reference to David’s forgiveness of sins in Romans 4:4-8.

Songs arise from forgiveness (vs 7)

Glory I’m Saved!

Redeemed how I love to proclaim it! I love to Tell the Story! Victory in Jesus!

Redeeming the Time

Text: Colossians 4:5

Redeeming the time is the opposite of wasting time

Idleness is God’s way of saying people have wasted their time. Idleness is one of the seductive evils of the world. A car that sits idle is burning fuel without doing anything.

Before you get too spiritual about this, stepping away and taking a break from work or labor is godly and good. The Lord worked 6 days and on the 7th He rested. Meaning, He didn’t work on day 7. So don’t say that if you’re not spending 24 hours a day, 7 days a week preaching the gospel then you’re wasting time. That’s not true, and that’s not true according to the Bible you say you believe. Now, with that said, most of you won’t fall into that category anyway, but the actual wasting of time is described a few times by God.

Proverbs 19:15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger. If a man won’t work he shouldn’t eat. That was said in the New Testament.

Ecclesiastes 10:18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

Proverbs 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Redeeming the time is the purposeful use of time to God’s glory

There is a little more explanation of redeeming the time in Ephesians 5:14-17. Redeeming the time means walking circumspectly because evil is on every side. It’s like setting up security cameras all around to keep an eye on valuable things and to keep an eye on places people traffic. But the security cameras aren’t the point, they’re there to protect the business. A Christian’s posture is not defensive, it is purposeful and on the offence. A Christian walks in the light. The point of Christianity is not to be a security camera and sit around and watch for evil, the point of Christianity is good works to the glory of God. Watching for evil will assist a Christian in the purpose God has for His people, but steering clear of trouble is NOT the point of Christianity. In Ephesians 5:17 Paul says you’ve been given the will of God, so let’s get to it.

Matthew 5:14-16 – Glory of God in the world is good works

Ephesians 2:10 – Purpose in Jesus Christ is good works

1 Timothy 3:1 – Pastoring is an example of a good work

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – Equipped for good works

Titus 1:16, 2:7-14, 3:1 – Titus is the book that says the most about good works – 2:8 sound speech, so no filthy language and jokes. When you try to say something good about church or the Lord the hearer thinks the Lord is cool with your filth and consequently their filth as well.

1 Peter 2:11-12 – Good testimony among men are good works

Hebrews 13:20-21

United Nations

Text: Genesis 11

The point of this chapter is to get to Abram, the next man God will use in His redemptive plan for mankind. Genesis 5 gets you from Adam to Noah – 10 generations – the man God will use. Then spends 5 chapters showing how Noah was used of God. Then Genesis 11 gets you from Noah to Abram, the next man God will use.

United nations

First of all, unity is not a bad thing. Unity around the things of God are wonderful! But when sinners unite to promote themselves it just leads to more sin, better ways to sin, and innovation that will increase sin.

Globalism, United Nations (League of Nations)

The purpose of this unity is stated in verse 4.

Reach up to heaven.

Make a name for ourselves.

Lest we be forced to become independent nations.

You were already told man’s imagination is only evil from his youth. Nothing in his imagination will be restrained.

Directed steps by the Lord

* The Lord lays an obstacle in the path of man to prevent greater wickedness. Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. God makes it so if you’re going to do this evil, you’ll at least have to walk around this obstacle to get there.

Think about God confounding the languages and how an unbelieving world would interpret that event. It would not be attributed to God. There would be some material, physical explanation for it.

When God puts an obstacle in man’s way to make it more difficult for man to live godless lives, man has some explanation because he won’t attribute it to God.

Acts 17:26

Abram identified in the aftermath

Leadership is identified in the aftermath

They call the land Haran after Abram’s brother.

From this point on in Genesis Abram and his family become the focus of the Lord.

Renewing the Kingdom

Text: 1 Samuel 12

In 1 Samuel 11:14, after the Israelites defeat the Ammonites, Samuel says let’s go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there. This chapter – 12 – is the sermon Samuel preaches to renew the kingdom. He doesn’t laud Saul though, or lift Saul up. Samuel instead reminds Israel that God was their king when they demanded that Saul be their king. This sermon serves as a fork in the road for Israel after a very bad political decision. The application comes at the very end of the chapter so we’ll move through the chapter quickly to get to the applied verses.

Unbiased messenger (vss 1-5)

Samuel says this in verse 5.

Samuel is blameless and therefore objective in his judgment of the nation’s predicament.

Unalterable mess (vss 6-15)

God was your king when you demanded He give you a king as Samuel says in verse 12.

Undeniable manifestation (vss 16-19)

Samuel calls the LORD to confirm his sermon with the weather.

Underlying mandate (vss 20-25)

Renew your life by staying the course

Stay the course, don’t turn aside.

You’ve introduced a layer of authority into the nation before God was ready for you to have it, but the situation isn’t hopeless. Serve God. Continue doing what scripture prescribes.

Many here could look at your life and say I picked up some bad habits along the way or I’ve added something in my life that really hurts me when it wants to.

BUT remember, this is the renewing of the kingdom that Samuel talked about. It isn’t hopeless. It’s a reset. This year has probably been a RESET to most of you. Times like this give you a clearer picture of what’s actually important and what’s vain.

Don’t follow vanity. That has no profit and will not save (vs 21).

Renew your life by defending what God defends (vs 22).

The LORD will defend His name, His promises, and His ordinances

LORD help us for your name’s sake! Help us so Jesus Christ gets glory!

Renew your life by a personal commitment to prayer and sound doctrine (vs 23)

Sin to stop seeking the LORD

When did we get in our minds that serving God was the problem in our lives? When did we get in our minds that quitting on God was the solution to anything?

Where do you think an idea like that comes from?

Samuel shares his own resolve to prayer and sound doctrine from the scriptures.

Renew your life by considering what great things Jesus Christ has done for you (vs 24).

When I consider what Jesus Christ has done for me, that may mean there are some wrongs that need to be made right between you and someone else.

When I consider what Jesus Christ has done for me, that may mean there are some attitudes I need to get in check. Maybe it’s the way you treat your wife. Maybe it’s the way you treat your husband. Maybe it’s the way you treat a church member.

Renew your life so you aren’t consumed in sin (vs 25)

The LORD says Israel will be consumed and the thing they thought would save them will be consumed as well.

Let’s make this a time of renewal. Get the things right that need to be got right.

The Savior and the Storm

Text: Matthew 14:22-33

Clear direction (vss 22-23)

Constrained them to go is strong language.

The other side is a time apart. It’s where you can get with the Father to find strength to carry on.

I think of church as the “other side” sometimes; it’s a rest from the world. And if you ever wonder why pastors or Christians get a little frustrated when people claiming Jesus Christ bring the world into a sanctuary, it’s because we don’t have another place designated by God to get with our God.

I think of private time with the LORD as the “other side” as well. The LORD said when you pray, go into your closet. That means if you’ll talk to the LORD in private, He’ll know you’re not doing it as a show for others. And that you actually have a desire to get a hold of the Father.

Storm didn’t indicate sin (vss 24-25)

The storm wasn’t because of disobedience. In fact, this storm happened while the disciples were doing what they were told to do.

How many Christians feel the contrary wind and decide they are going in the wrong direction?

Sometimes a contrary wind does indicate the wrong direction. Unfortunately, wrong directions are more often slippery slopes, not contrary winds.

But it’s not the wrong direction when you’ve been given specific direction by God.

The LORD Jessus Christ is strolling on the same boisterous sea that’s been beating up the boat threatening to overturn it. See Job 9:8

Peace is the presence of God (vss 26-27)

Fear not is said so many times in the Bible it’s difficult to count them. That alone ought to give you comfort in our present turbulence. Hundreds of times in the Bible God says to His own people, don’t be afraid. Fear will keep you from doing what the LORD wants you to do and keep you from the blessings of the LORD.

Cheer up, put a smile on your face, be happy. It will improve your face value.

Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Now the wind is still blowing when the LORD says this.

Foundation is Jesus Christ (vss 28-29)

This genuine miracle clarifies an incredible truth. It’s not the water that holds Peter up, it’s the Lord Jesus Christ.

You might think you need solid ground to stand on because you believe it is the ground that holds you up. It is Jesus Christ who is the foundation. It isn’t the water. It is the words of God.

Psalm 28:1 Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

1 Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. All other ground is sinking sand.

Surprising the LORD (vss 30-31)

As soon as Peter thought the water was what held him up, he sank. As soon as he lost sight of the Lord Jesus Christ and feared because of the wind and waves, he was no longer held up by the Lord.

Lord, save me is a great prayer. Jesus helped Peter when he lost faith.

As surprised as Peter was, it is strange to find that Jesus is mutually surprised that Peter doubted. Look at Mark 6:6. The LORD is not surprised by storms, He’s not surprised by trouble, but If there is one thing the LORD is shocked at it is unbelief.

The Son of God (vss 32-33)

Worshipped with the confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

If you stay with it through the storm you’ll find a greater revelation of who Jesus Christ is. Guaranteed!